Hi, I had left WLE and SNB. I  am on day 6 of 15 radiotherapies (just a bit pink and achy at the moment) have already had 7 weeks off work and have a sick note covering another 7. The hospital is a 60+ mile round trip. I drive 10 miles, catch a charity bus to the hospital, have treatment for 10 minutes, wait for bus, then drive myself home again. I am out of the house more than 5 hours each day, so there is no way I could work. I have a very heavy job so I would not be fit to do it anyway as I can still only manage to lift the kettle. Hope your hospital is much nearer. Good luck x

Hi Daisyboo,

Thank you for your info and I can see why you would find it difficult to work with that journey to do every day. Plus the fact that your recovery seems to be taking a while. I hope you start to feel better soon.   

As per my rant to Shirley, the hospital I thought I was having my treatment at is very close to where I work so would have been ideal but, now that they have switched me to another one, the daily round trip works out at just under 90 miles which is just silly.

Take care x

Hi I've been reading all your posts about radiotherapy with avid interest as I've recently been diagnosed with secondary breast cancer in the base of my skull.  As it's causing pain they decided to start with radiotherapy in my skull/base of the neck (10sessions for me).  I'm seeing the doctor on Monday as they've not yet said what they are doing re the breast lump.  I'm sure you'll understand that it's concerning me!  I thought I'd just feel a bit tired towards the end of the sessions, however I had my third one yesterday and it really knocked me for six.  I got back from the hospital and felt so ill I couldn't get out of bed!  I rang the out of hours oncology as I was also feeling very sick and actually was sick during the night.  A doctor ended up coming to see me and said the radiotherapy can have that effect - I thought this type of side effect was what you got from chemo and that radiotherapy would be a breeze.  I'm guessing my reaction isn't quite the usual one though! X

Hi Sally,

Very sorry to hear that you have two problems to have to deal with. There are quite a few lovley people on here with multiple issues and it must so hard to have to think about everything all at the same time.

It's good that they are sorting out your skull tumour first since that is giving you the most pain but not fun at all if its causing such awful sickness. I know we are all told to expect different reactions to the treatment but you seem to be particulaly unlucky, you poor thing. I wonder if it is anything to do with where on the body you're being zapped?  I woud have thought you could be given some anit-sickness "stuff" to help..  

You don't say what type of breast tumour you have but presumably they will start dealing with it once your radiotherapy is done. I imagine you'll find out on Monday so all the very best for then, I will be thinking of you.

Because I had two different cancers (lobular on the right and tubular on the left) I will be getting two seperate lots of treatment each time so do worry if that will double up the side effects at all but, as you no doubt saw from my earlier rant, my concern at the moment is getting the appointments sorted out. Having had all that yesterday, I got another letter today postponing my bone scan to the morning of my first treatment day so I will be whizzing back and forth between hospitals like a mad thing!

Anyway, I digress, I really hope the sickness is dealt with for you asap and that you have more of a plan once you've seen the doctor.

Good luck, take care and do let me know how you get on.xx

Thanks for replying somehow it always feels a bit better when you know you're not on your own in this nightmare!  The way they have arranged your appointments is pretty thoughtless in my opinion.  I know they have to fit us in but some thought should also go into it.  I had a similar rant on Friday as they e suddenly decided they need a PETscan and I was given the impression it would be tomorrow when I go for radiotherapy.  I then got a call from Alliance Medical who I assume the NHS have outsourced to telling me 28th April but would call back once they checked something.  I then got a call the next day saying it would be 30th as the 28th had since been taken!  As my symptoms have been ongoing for some time and I'd no idea I had breast cancer I was horrified at another wait.  Unfortunately the poor lad on the phone got both barrels!  Bless him he called back later to say he'd managed to fit me in this tues.  Like you I now have to dash between three appts but it's something that has to be done so I'm not complaining.

i feel a lot less sick today, still not myself but that's expected am absolutely dreading next week though.  I haven't been told what type of breast cancer it is yet, and didn't even know there were different types till I started researching it! Good luck with your appointments and treatment, no doubt we will will both be posting as things progress x

Thanks for replying somehow it always feels a bit better when you know you're not on your own in this nightmare!  The way they have arranged your appointments is pretty thoughtless in my opinion.  I know they have to fit us in but some thought should also go into it.  I had a similar rant on Friday as they e suddenly decided they need a PETscan and I was given the impression it would be tomorrow when I go for radiotherapy.  I then got a call from Alliance Medical who I assume the NHS have outsourced to telling me 28th April but would call back once they checked something.  I then got a call the next day saying it would be 30th as the 28th had since been taken!  As my symptoms have been ongoing for some time and I'd no idea I had breast cancer I was horrified at another wait.  Unfortunately the poor lad on the phone got both barrels!  Bless him he called back later to say he'd managed to fit me in this tues.  Like you I now have to dash between three appts but it's something that has to be done so I'm not complaining.

i feel a lot less sick today, still not myself but that's expected am absolutely dreading next week though.  I haven't been told what type of breast cancer it is yet, and didn't even know there were different types till I started researching it! Good luck with your appointments and treatment, no doubt we will will both be posting as things progress x

Hi Sally,

So glad you are feeing a bit better today but can see why you are dreading next week. Do ask them about giving you some anti-nausea tablets, they must have something up their sleeves?

Good to hear that your rant worked and that your PET scan is all booked in for Tuesday,well done you!.

I must admit I didn't know much about breast cancer either before my two came along. I had felt a lump only on one side so it was a bit of a shock to discover that I had the second on the other side. I was very lucky though because the one I didn't know about was the nastier one and would have stayed undetected so at least I was able to get both dealt with at the same time.

All the very best for next week, will keep my fingers crossed for you.

Take care xx

Hi Sally,

How did you get on with the doctor on Monday? I hope it went well for you, and also your hard fought scan yesterday...

Take care x

Hi Susu, 

the doctor didn't really have much to tell me on Monday as everything now hinges on the PET scan results.  She did say if no further cancer shows on it they will go ahead and remove the breast lump after I've finished the radiotherapy on my skull/neck, which finishes on Tues.  Since then I've developed a pain in my back and collarbone and obviously am now thinking the worst (as you do)!  My husband keeps telling me to stop driving myself mad.  If it is the bad news they will do chemo, however they are trying to 'save' that due to the chemo like drugs I'm already on for my lupus, so I guess it's fingers crossed!  

I've been reading about a lady that was given a terminal diagnosis three years ago and is still going strong and now in remission.  She takes a drug called LDN and when I started researching I found a youtube video of Dr Chris Steele from This Morning asking people to sign a petition to get this drug licensed for use in cancer and autoimmune disease. (It's currently licenced for use with opiate abuse).  I've since viewed numerous success stories so I'm going to speak to a Dr about it as I understand it can be obtained privately and is relatively cheap. 

Hope you're doing ok, have you started the radiotherapy yet? X

Hi Sally,

I hope you don't have to wait too long for the results of the PET scan and obviously that it is good news for you so that they can remove the lump asap. I too felt all sorts of aches & pains while waiting for results and, like you,  thought dreadful thoughts but they all came to nothing in the end and I put it down to stress, so I think (on this particular occasion at least) you should listen to your husband!!

Good to hear that you are looking at other drugs that might help you. It's all very well to follow the normal route but if you can find something that does it better, go for it I say.

I had my radiotherapy planning session today but the treatments don't start for another 3 weeks yet. All was fine except that the shoulder I had surgery on just before Christmas froze while in the arm rest and I couldn't then move it - ouch! In the end they took the arm rest off the table and I was then able to roll onto one side to sit up and then gradually get my arm moving agan. What a carry on!  

Good luck with the rest of your treatments and fingers crossed for your results.

Take care xx